Traditional stone work of the Old Royal Oak

©AnneMarie McCarthy/Lonely Planet

Old Royal Oak

Top choice in Dublin


Locals are fiercely protective of this gorgeous traditional pub, which opened in 1845 to serve the patrons and staff of the Royal Hospital (now the Irish Museum of Modern Art). The clientele has changed, but everything else remains the same, which makes this one of the nicest pubs in the city in which to enjoy a few pints.